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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of a commission to recommend a new system |
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for student assessment and public school accountability. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 39, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter N to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER N. TEXAS COMMISSION ON NEXT GENERATION ASSESSMENTS AND |
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ACCOUNTABILITY |
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Sec. 39.501. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "commission" |
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means the Texas Commission on Next Generation Assessments and |
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Accountability. |
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Sec. 39.502. TEXAS COMMISSION ON NEXT GENERATION |
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ASSESSMENTS AND ACCOUNTABILITY. (a) The Texas Commission on Next |
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Generation Assessments and Accountability is established to |
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develop and make recommendations for new systems of student |
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assessment and public school accountability. |
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(b) The commission is composed of 15 members, consisting of |
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the following: |
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(1) four members appointed by the governor; |
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(2) three members appointed by the lieutenant |
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governor; |
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(3) three members appointed by the speaker of the |
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house of representatives; |
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(4) the chair of the senate committee on education, or |
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a representative designated by the chair; |
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(5) the chair of the senate committee on higher |
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education, or a representative designated by the chair; |
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(6) the chair of the house of representatives |
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committee on public education, or a representative designated by |
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the chair; |
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(7) the chair of the house of representatives |
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committee on higher education, or a representative designated by |
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the chair; and |
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(8) a member of the State Board of Education, as |
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designated by the chair of that board. |
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(c) In making appointments under Subsections (b)(1), (2), |
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and (3), the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the |
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house of representatives shall coordinate to ensure that the |
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commission includes at least one of each of the following |
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representatives: |
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(1) a parent or person standing in parental relation |
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to a student enrolled in the public school system; |
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(2) an educator in the public school system; |
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(3) an educator in a school district that is a |
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participant in the Texas High Performance Schools Consortium under |
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Section 7.0561; |
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(4) a member of the business community; |
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(5) a member of the civic community; |
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(6) a leader in student assessment development and |
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use; and |
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(7) a leader in research concerning student assessment |
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and education outcomes. |
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Sec. 39.503. PRESIDING OFFICER. The governor shall |
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designate the presiding officer of the commission. |
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Sec. 39.504. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. A member of |
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the commission is not entitled to compensation for service on the |
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commission but is entitled to reimbursement for actual and |
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necessary expenses incurred in performing commission duties. |
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Sec. 39.505. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND FUNDING. |
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(a) Staff members of the agency shall provide administrative |
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support for the commission. |
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(b) Funding for the administrative and operational expenses |
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of the commission shall be provided by appropriation to the agency |
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for that purpose. |
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Sec. 39.506. RECOMMENDATIONS. The commission shall develop |
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recommendations under this subchapter to address: |
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(1) the purpose of a state accountability system and |
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the role of student assessment in that system; |
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(2) opportunities to assess students that: |
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(A) provide actionable information for a parent |
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or person standing in parental relation to a student, an educator, |
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and the public; |
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(B) support learning activities; |
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(C) recognize application of skills and |
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knowledge; |
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(D) measure student educational growth toward |
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mastery; and |
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(E) value critical thinking; |
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(3) alignment of state performance standards with |
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college and career readiness requirements in collaboration with the |
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Texas Workforce Commission and Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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Board; |
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(4) policy changes necessary to enable a student to |
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progress through subject matter and grade levels on demonstration |
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of mastery; and |
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(5) policy changes necessary to establish a student |
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assessment and public school accountability system that meets state |
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goals, is community based, promotes parent and community |
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involvement, and reflects the unique needs of each community. |
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Sec. 39.507. REPORT. (a) The commission shall prepare and |
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deliver a report to the governor and the legislature that |
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recommends statutory changes to improve systems of student |
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assessment and public school accountability not later than |
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September 1, 2016. |
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(b) In preparing the report, the commission shall consider |
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the recommendations of the Texas High Performance Schools |
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Consortium established under Section 7.0561, including |
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recommendations related to innovative, next-generation learning |
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standards and assessment and accountability systems. |
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Sec. 39.508. PUBLIC MEETINGS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION. |
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(a) The commission may hold public meetings as needed to fulfill |
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its duties under this subchapter. |
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(b) The commission is subject to Chapters 551 and 552, |
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Government Code. |
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Sec. 39.509. COMMISSION ABOLISHED; EXPIRATION OF |
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SUBCHAPTER. (a) The commission is abolished January 1, 2017. |
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(b) This subchapter expires January 1, 2017. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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